Issue - meetings

This report informs the Executive of the feedback to the public consultation on the proposed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in relation to dog fouling and recommends that the Council proceeds to make the Order as proposed.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive notes the findings of the public consultation and recommends to Council that the making of the Public Space Protection Order No.1 (Dog Fouling) be approved.

55.1  Cllr Else updated the Executive on the response to the public consultation on the proposed Public Space Protection Order in relation to dog fouling.

55.2  Dog fouling had been an issue for residents in Waverley and elsewhere in the country for many years, caused by the irresponsible actions of a minority of dog owners. The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced new powers to deal with a wide range of anti-social behaviour issues using fixed penalty notices as an alternative to court action. The Council had consulted widely with residents, Town, Parish and the County Council and a range of other organisations and received significant numbers of responses. There was a clear indication from the responses that residents regarded failing to clear up after a dog had fouled was a problem in Waverley and that dog owners should clean up after their dog. There was overwhelming support for the introduction of fixed penalty notices for those failing to do so.

55.3  It was recognised that there needed to be a balance between the rights of dog owners and other residents and that there should be exemptions for those less able dog owners. Exemptions from the requirement to clean up were therefore included in the report along with a ‘reasonable excuse’ defence. The Order did however also include a requirement to dispose of dog waste appropriately after it has been cleared up, in response to the problem of bags of dog waste being disposed of indiscriminately.

55.4  As with most other civil enforcement legislation, whilst the Order would apply borough wide, enforcement of it would be intelligence led and targeted at areas where the community was reporting that there were problems. Enforcement could be carried out by a range of council officers with an enforcement role and by the Police.

55.5  The Executive welcomed the proposals and RESOLVED to note the findings of the public consultation, and

RECOMMEND to Council that the Public Space Protection Order No.1 (Dog Fouling) be approved.

[Reason: to enable the Council to respond to anti-social and offensive dog-fouling, which impacts on residents’ enjoyment of public spaces.]